Health Scan: Dr Pixie McKenna

Dr Pixie McKenna: loves mayonnaise and frozen peas.
Dr Pixie McKenna: loves mayonnaise and frozen peas.

Do you think you have a healthy lifestyle?
There is always room for improvement but on the whole, yes. I eat well, sleep well and look after myself. Everything in moderation – including moderation – is my motto. I enjoy a glass of wine, a good blast of sunshine and a sneaky bit of butter on the spuds. I am strict about not snacking so I'm generally a three meals a day kind of girl.


How often do you exercise?
I run three times a week either on my own or it can be a family affair with baby in the buggy and my boxer dog following behind. I also cycle charity events on a regular basis, which involves a flat-out 100km of pedal power. Like many Irish people I'm a rubbish swimmer so I'm working on that having just started lessons.
Do you get your five fruit and vegetables a day?

I try to do the "high five" as I call it so I will always add an apple and a banana to my lunch. Dinner usually has lots of greens. I adore peas – the frozen ones, embarrassingly – so I try to sneak them into everything.


Do you worry?
I'm a pretty cool customer but my husband broke his neck last month while trying to re-ignite his rugby career aged 43, so life is a bit highly charged. Thankfully he is neither dead nor paralysed so the initial worry is over. Generally speaking, I don't see the point of worrying.

What do you do to relax?
I am a prolific shopper. My idea of heaven is shopping solo in a store with no mobile service and no time constraints.

What's your worst habit?
My worst physical habit is biting my nails.

My worst personal habit is full-fat Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Food heaven; cholesterol hell.

My worst professional habit is saying yes to work when I really mean no because I’m snowed under.

Dr Pixie McKenna recently launched Actavis’s generics awareness campaign, which can be viewed online at justaskaboutgenerics.ie

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson is an Irish Times reporter